Loons 6, Captains 2: Lake County manager ejected in third inning of loss

Maribeth Joeright/MJoeright@News-Herald.comCaptains Manager Scooter Tucker argues with home plate umpire Tim Hromada after a called strike three on Yhoxian Medina in the third inning Friday at Classic Park. Tucker was ejected from the game in the Captains 6-2 loss to the Great Lakes Loons.

Maribeth Joeright/MJoeright@News-Herald.comCaptains short stop Dorssys Paulino attempts to tag Loons baserunner Robbie Garvey, who was caught in a rundown, as third baseman Erik Gonzalez looks to the umpire for the call during the third inning Friday at Classic Park. Garvey got up and made it safely to third base.

Captains manager Scooter Tucker wasn't around for the end of Friday's 6-2 loss to the Great Lakes Loons at Classic Park.

For that matter, Tucker missed everything that happened on the field during the last six innings of a third straight victory for the Loons and a sweep of the three-game series.

After the final out was made in the bottom of the third inning, Tucker was ejected from the game by home-plate umpire Tim Hromada at the back end of a brief but animated argument.

Seventy-six games deep into his first season as a professional manager, the usually mild-mannered Tucker experienced his first ejection.

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Tucker was so unhappy with the way his evening ended he'd already showered and vacated the premises when the game ended.

However, he spoke plainly about the ejection and circumstances that led up to it when later reached by telephone.

"I guess I'm surprised it took this long, given the nature of this game," Tucker replied when asked how it felt to be ejected for the first time as a manager."

To observers in the press box and fans in the stands, it appeared the match that lit Tucker's flame was a called third strike on Captains second baseman Yhoxian Medina in the bottom of the third inning.

Medina appeared to check his swing on the pitch from 16-year-old Great Lakes starter Julio Urias. Hromada, without asking for help from base umpire Sam Vogt, immediately and emphatically rang up Medina for the second out.

Medina shouted at Hromada, tore off his batting helmet and made various gestures signaling displeasure as he walked slowly toward the home dugout.

"I started toward home plate to make sure Medina didn't get in any trouble and get tossed," Tucker said. "(Hromada) yelled at me and told me I couldn't come to the plate. I told him, 'You should have asked for help,' and left it at that."

The spirited discussion between manager and umpire resumed after the frame's final out was made.

Moments later the exchange further intensified, and Hromada sent Tucker packing.

As is often the case, the wheels that led to the ejection were turning before matters came to a head.

"It's been building. We've had several bad calls in this series," Tucker said.

One of those bad calls, as far as Tucker was concerned, came in the top of the third inning.

With one out, one run in and two Great Lakes runners aboard, the Captains appeared to have lead runner Robbie Garvey dead to right in a rundown between second and third bases.

Lake County shortstop Dorssys Paulino ran Garvey back toward second base and appeared to apply a swipe tag as Garvey dove toward the ground. Vogt ruled that Paulino failed to make the tag as Garvey took third base.

"I thought Paulino tagged the guy," Tucker said.

Instead the rally continued, and the Loons put five more runs on the board.

It turned out to be more than enough damage as the Captains managed only two runs while stranding 10 baserunners. Stranding 22 baserunners in the three losses, they saw their second-half record slip to 5-4.

Tucker said there will be no hard feelings on his part Saturday when the Captains open a home series against Fort Wayne with, you guessed it, Hromada and Vogt held over as the umpires.

"Being a catcher in my playing days, I always made it part of plan to get to know the umpires," Tucker said. "You have to work with them, not against them."